HILLSDALE — Anticipating a new year arrival, delivery room nurses at Hillsdale Community Health Center (HCHC) were hoping the first baby to arrive in the new unit of the hospital would be on Jan. 1.

They got their wish when Parker Landers, a boy, arrived at 10:23 a.m. on New Years Day. Parker weighed in at 6 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 20 and a half inches.

Father Charles Landers of Hillsdale and his fiancé, Janelle Sager, never thought they would have the first baby of the new year. They assumed another couple would arrive closer to midnight, but only one other mother, Bianca Rumer, was on the floor. She had twins, Bentley and Baya, at 3:13 p.m. Dec. 30.

“We were joking New Year’s eve that it would be great if we hit the new year mark and we did,” Sager said.

Landers was glad everything happened without problems, considering the measurable snowfall that began the night before.

“I’m just glad he’s here and happy that he’s healthy,” Landers said.

Landers, a Hillsdale High School graduate with an associate degree from ITT, works in Fremont, Ind. and worked a full day before bringing in his fiancé at 8 a.m. on New Year’s Day. He was tired, but sleep wasn’t something the couple really thought about after staying up and watching the ball drop in New York city on television.

With Parker being her fifth child, Janelle said she knew not to come to the hospital until her contractions were closer. At time of arrival, they were five minutes apart.

“He came quick and strong,” Janelle said.

There were no problems and Parker didn’t even complain until he took his first bath, Sager said.

“He doesn’t fuss much and has slept through most of what’s been going on,” she added.

After experiencing natural child birth, like with her previous pregnancies, Sager was dressed in blue jeans and waiting for release papers the morning after Parker’s arrival. She joked how her fiancé had fallen asleep in her hospital bed and said Parker’s siblings were staying with family until Sunday, when Parker would be introduced to them.

Parkers brothers and sisters include Hailey, 12, who celebrates her birthday Jan. 2.

“We thought she was going to be a new years baby in 2002, but she missed it by one child,” Sager said.

Sager attributed the positive experience of staying at HCHC to a “great hospital staff."

“They have all been wonderful and very helpful,” Sager said.

Page 2 of 2 - R.N. April VanCamp, who was on duty when Parker arrived, said the birth was “very exciting."

“For us it’s special since Parker is the first baby in our new addition,” VanCamp said. “He’s the first of the first. I’ve been doing this for 15 years and it’s always exciting — I love my job and what I do.”

As for Parker’s parents, blessings come in all kinds of packages and for them having the first baby of the year, they received a huge basket of goodies from area businesses — everything from gift cards for them, to creams and ointments for Parker.

“We feel blessed,” Sager said. “And now, with three boys and three girls, we’re well on our way to having our own Brady bunch.”